Flames Notebook: GM Craig Conroy not rushing into Andersson trade

CALGARY — The divorce, while amicable, could take some time.

Craig Conroy said as much Thursday when asked about the inevitable trading of Rasmus Andersson.

One week after the exchange of numbers between the two camps made it clear the Flames will have to move on from the 28-year-old defenceman, the two had a conversation Thursday morning that laid out the possibility they could remain together to open the season.

“Ras has got another year in his contract and I talked to Ras this morning and we're all good,” said Conroy.

“If he's a Calgary Flame in September, he's a Calgary Flame. I mean, there's nothing that I would say is going to happen, or not going to happen. We would never do it in the media anyway. We're just going to go about our business and try to make the team better.”

That will unquestionably involve cashing in on Andersson, who should land the Flames a hefty return given how hot a commodity a right-shot defenceman entering his prime will be.

The question is whether that return would be better this summer or closer to the trade deadline, albeit at the risk of injury.

Making the team’s minute-munching leader even more attractive is his $4.55 million contract for next season.

Smart money suggests the deal will be done in the next few weeks. 

But with an eye on giving himself as much time as possible to maximize his return, Conroy said prolonging the separation wouldn’t be a distraction as past pending UFAs were two years ago.

“Not at all, not with Razzie, because I know how important a season it is for him,” said Conroy, who has long had a great relationship with the second-round pick who has been one of the franchise’s best development stories in decades.  

“He knows it's a contract year, so he wants to have a great year. He wants to be in the Olympics. I mean, all those things are so important to him.

“He's a great teammate. He's a warrior. He'll play as hard as he can every night. He wants to win, so I don’t worry.

“When you're talking about a few years ago, we had five UFAs — a little bit different.”

While Conroy shops Andersson, he will continue to stay in touch with the Swedish team’s world championship captain to keep him in the loop.

“Yeah, I don't want him to be surprised with anything,” said Conroy, limited only by the six-team no-trade list Andersson has in his contract.

“Whatever happens, for the next 20 years Ras and I are always going to be good.”

With the draft set for Friday, and free agency set to open Tuesday, Conroy was asked about several other topics. 

We will offer up our smart aleck analysis for each:

Dan Vladar

“We had a contract offer out to Dan. We love Dan. Dan's done a great job for us. But again, you know, it's an opportunity to become a UFA and be a free agent. I think with the way Wolfie played, it definitely affected things too. He definitely wants to be a starter in the league, and that's his goal.”

Translation: He gone.

RFAs Kevin Bahl and Connor Zary

“No real updates. We've been in contact. I think we'll get those guys done. We're just working away at it, but with all the draft stuff it's been a busy week, but hopefully we can get it done sooner than later.”

Lots of time there.

Anthony Mantha and Kevin Rooney

“With the amount of contracts we have, probably both those guys, the doors close a little bit on them.”

As expected.

Free agency

“I think we've targeted some players we'd like to talk to and see if they'd be willing to come to Calgary. We always want to get better. We have some money to spend, and we'd love to improve our team, but it's one of those where you don't have to spend assets now, just to spend some money.”

Analysis: the Flames will be relatively quiet on the free agency front.

Draft philosophy for the 18th and 32nd picks

“Obviously you're always looking to add the best player, but if that player was a centre, that'd be great.

“You know, always like to be able to get exactly what you want at that spot (and, yes, this year they crave centres), but we will take the best player available.

“I think this is a draft where you're going to find value later in the draft, in the first round, especially because I think it could go any way. Everyone's got their own opinion of what they want, what their needs are, and it's not as clear cut as it used to be.”

(They'll draft at least one centre in the first round)

Possibility of moving up in draft

“Yeah, we'd be open to it. We’ve had talks with teams and they're open, but it's not like they would do it today, because they don't know who's going to be there at 12 or 15 or wherever it is.

“Everybody wants to see how (it goes), as nobody has a clear cut view of who's going to be there at their pick.”

Favourite details of a new CBA trickling in

“The 19-year-olds being able to play in the AHL, because it gives us another avenue for development, to have them under our umbrella.”